Artist Profile: Erica Houston
This
self-portrait, "Anxiety," is nothing less than intriguing. The incredibly
realistic rendering, and the covert mood created by the piece, leaves one wondering,
"Who is the woman behind the art work?" This young woman, Erica Houston, has
been actively drawing and sketching since elementary school. For her very first
assignment, for which she created a rendition of a bubble gum machine, she began dabbling
in pastels. She is the younger of two sisters, both of whom enjoy the creative arts:
Keisha is a singer and has just released her own CD. Fortunately for Erica, her family has
consistently supported her artistic passion. Although she has always loved to create, it was not until she became involved in AP at her high school that Erica really began to explore her talent. Her teacher, Pat Eddington, began the AP Studio Art program with only seven students who thought it might be fun to explore commercial art as part of a free period in their schedule. AP at Highland High School, Salt Lake City, Utah, has now become a program in which students explore a variety of techniques and take field trips to see the works of local artists. It was on one of these field trips that Erica discovered the work of Professor Sam Wilson from the University of Utah. His work, which featured detailed renderings of "little creatures" in oil paints, greatly inspired Erica. Most impressive were his incredibly detailed paintings of hands, veins, and pores. "It was amazing to me how he could create such realistic reproductions of even the smallest detail," says Erica, "so I thought I'd try it on my own."
Erica tried and succeeded. She spent an afternoon taking pictures of herself with her hands over her face to create a feeling of falling. The hair seemingly strewn everywhere was strategically placed to portray chaos. And the t-shirt she chose to wear is a mark of her past, one she bought while living as a child in Melbourne, Florida. Despite the happiness that Erica feels about life and her artwork in general, this piece juxtaposed that emotion with chaos and feelings of uncertainty. She created it using colored pencils, a medium to which she has only recently been introduced.
This piece is one of two purchased by the Salt Lake City School District. The other, completed when she was in junior high school, is a painting of African maps that create a face when taken together. It was purchased by a woman in her community who saw Erica's painting at a school art exhibit. Erica likes the idea of selling her pieces, and admits that it is a great way to make money. "I have sold pieces mostly to family, friends, and people in my church. The freelance work is great." says Erica. She's now researching the use of the internet as a possible point of sale.
When she's not painting for family and friends, Erica takes classes in Design at Salt Lake Community College. She continues to build her portfolio and hopes to someday major in Commercial Art. Her future goals include nothing short of exhibiting her artwork in Salt Lake and beyond.
December 1998